Graphic by HN Hoffmann/Student Life

Fall is by far my favorite season. As soon as October started, I whipped out my Halloween attire. I’ve been eating apple-based desserts for the last two weeks. The weather is cooling off, finally reaching that perfect combo of chilly in the morning but warm in the afternoon. That means it’s time for another of my favorite seasonal traditions: fall-flavored beverages. This doesn’t always go well for me. Last month, I was disappointed by (and, apparently, allergic to) Starbucks’ new Apple Crisp Latte. But Washington University has some quality drinks.

Quite a lot (read: all) of my apartment-plan meal points are spent at Café Bergson. Bergson has introduced three fall beverages to their lineup this October, and over the last few weeks, I have sampled all three. Repeatedly. (Yes, the lattes may or may not also be available as cold brews with oat foam. As someone allergic to the oat milk it’s made from, I’m not including those options in my ranking. Also, and more controversially, what is the point of fall drinks if not to warm your hands against the chill?) 

Without further ado, here are my semi-comprehensive ratings of Cafe Bergson’s festive October drinks. 

Apple Cider:
Readers, it pains me to not give Bergson’s apple cider a 10/10. During my two pre-COVID WashU years, I drank an apple cider nearly every day during the too-brief season it is available. Hot apple cider, caramel syrup nearly dissolved but still managing to build up at the bottom for an almost sickeningly sweet last two sips — flavor-wise, you can’t get better. Sadly, I must deduct points, because it’s just not filling. Maybe that’s a good thing. I can drink endless apple ciders without getting full. But in terms of my wallet — and my stomach, when I need both caffeine and a snack — it’s a definite downside.
Rating: 8/10

Maple Latte:
Don’t get me wrong, the maple latte is good. It just isn’t great. The latte is definitely sweet, but the maple flavor is drowned out by the sugar, leaving me with the impression that I’d just consumed a dessert beverage but without knowledge of what that dessert was. That said, I’m in favor of pretty much all desserts, and the maple latte functions pretty similarly to candy — it gives me a sugar rush and briefly fills me up, knowing that I’ll have a small crash later. All in all, I’d drink it again.
Rating: 6/10

Pumpkin Spice Latte:
The ubiquitous fall beverage, the pumpkin spice latte. A staple of making fun of girls in Uggs for at least a decade, the coffee can get a pretty bad rap. And yeah, maybe it is basic, but it’s delicious. Nutmeg and allspice — the main components of pumpkin spice — are the flavors of fall, and they are best conveyed in a coffee. Bergson’s is not the best pumpkin spice latte I’ve ever had, but it’s far from the worst. It energizes me without the sugar rush of the maple, and acts a lot like a small snack before lunch. Without question, it’s Bergson’s best fall beverage.
Rating: 9/10